SIR - It may be shocking for Worcester News readers to learn that a city councillor abstained in the most crucial vote of the year - the council budget!

Voting on the budget also determines the level of council tax for the following year and is probably the most important vote a local councillor can make, Yet residents in Nunnery should know the sole surviving Independent councillor in the ward - one Mike Layland - chose to abstain when the city council's budget was put to the vote at the council meeting on February 5. By abstaining, the Nunnery Independent ensured that the vote on the budget was tied, and, not surprisingly, the Tory mayor then used his casting vote in favour of the budget, which, of course, was the product of the council's Conservative majority.

COUNCILLOR GEOFF WILLIAMS, Worcester.